Macro Monday Haiku | 5.4.20
Spring rain wreaks havoc
and lilac confetti falls
among empty walnut shells
And finally, with a nod to my favorite son, May the Fourth be with you! *wink*
Happy Monday everyone!
Hello, May | 5.1.20
Sweet May hath come to love us, flowers, trees, their blossoms don; And through the blue heavens above us, the very clouds move on. — Heinrich Heine
While March was eons long, April has just sprinted on by – hasn’t it? I guess when each day is the same as the last, at first they seem to drag and then they pick up speed!
May, I hope you do come to love us with more sunny days, mild weather, and some patio happy hours!
I spent more time this week outside with the big camera, practicing more! Better? Maybe not so much, but I enjoyed every moment and was inspired to keep trying! And May ushers in Macro May!! Look for more photos during the month! We had a very rainy April (only 12 days without any precipitation) but grey days are perfect for taking photos! And getting outdoors after the rain and capturing it dripping off the lilacs made the volumes of rain *almost* worth it! Ha!!
I don’t know how many of you use Nextdoor (I use the app on my phone), but over the last week or so there has been an uptick in people women in my neighborhood trying to find a hairdresser who would break the rules to cut and/or color their hair. I was happy to see that these posts have been met with no success (or at least no one openly offers in the post to provide these services). And then Julia Farwell-Clay posted this on IG! I just want to ROAR with her with my own Badger-striped hair!
My new Twitter Daily Chuckle (or two!) is Rate My Skype Room!
I was thrilled to see that Joy Harjo was named Poet Laureate again! And through her I discovered The Poetry of Home! You can listen to Joy read Perhaps the World Ends Here. You should listen to all the installments! They are just wonderful! You will find Robert Pinsky, Juan Felipe Herrera, and Natasha Trethewey. Each installment is just perfect for these “stay at home” days.
And The Poetry of Home is just the inspiration I needed to gather some yarn bits to start Susan B. Anderson’s Little House pattern that Kym highlighted this week. My plan is to make one for each of my children with a little Pandemic Tag on it, but I think I will also include the words of a poem too! (FYI, Little House pattern is currently discounted…so if you are thinking about it, don’t think too much longer!)
Mary is a voracious knitter and I think I found her next sweater to devour! And the Ravelry Hive Mind must all be of the same thought because this sweater from 2017 is in my “Hot Right Now Top 20”!
Want something to stir your sock mojo? These beauties are perfect for spring (AND FREE!!)
And there you have it, dear friends – Happy May to you all! See you back here on Monday!
A poem for your pocket | 4.30.20
It’s Poem in your Pocket Day and this poem is going in my pocket. I will carry it with me during the day. I will be thinking of the “heavy threads” of the day and hope that I will be stitched “into a useful garment”.
And yet, there is comfort in knowing the day “will do nothing of the kind”. Because even that is a blessing.
Heavy Threads
by Hazel Hall
When the dawn unfolds like a bolt of ribbon
Thrown through my window,
I know that hours of light
Are about to thrust themselves into me
Like omnivorous needles into listless cloth,
Threaded with the heavy colours of the sun.
They seem altogether too eager,
To embroider this thing of mine,
My Day,
Into the strict patterns of an altar cloth;
Or at least to stitch it into a useful garment.
But I know they will do nothing of the kind.
They will prick away,
And when they are through with it
It will look like the patch quilt my grandmother made
When she was learning to sew.
I hope you find a poem to carry with you today, one that will make you stop and think, one that will give you respite, one that will bring you joy.
Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels
Unraveled Wednesday | 4.29.20
Greetings Unravelers! There was NO unraveling for me this week – and I am almost done with Clue Three of Romi’s Mystery shawl – although it still looks like the green blob in the photo! Trust me that I am very happy with it and I am even happier to be back on track! I don’t think I will get Clue Four done before the next clue drops Friday but that is okay!
Larissa Brown’s Lunar Mystery Shawl is less taxing to knit, but I love the start! I have sort of bound off the first few clues and am eagerly waiting to see what the next step will be!
I am still slowly working on my crochet circles – not every evening, but most evenings. I always thought crochet was faster than knitting, but apparently that is all relative to your skill level! No photo update this week, but I do have something I have been oogling on Instagram. I am enthralled with all the lovely circles! This especially makes my heart sing!
The reading this week was unexpected and so.good! No bingo yet, but I have filled in two more squares!
Eye of the Red Tsar by Sam Eastland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I can’t believe I almost didn’t borrow this book from my library! I loved it! The writing is good, the characters are intriguing and I loved how Eastland worked in Pekkala’s background to the story. If you are looking for a new mystery series, this one delivers! I have already borrowed the second book of this series! I highly recommend!
Victim 2117 by Jussi Adler-Olsen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I loved this Department Q installment because of Assad. Adler-Olsen spends a good bit of time sharing Assad with us, and there is so much to love! I won’t give anything away, but this novel is brilliantly crafted with two separate but somehow connected crimes. They are tied together brilliantly. This is the first book in this series that I listened to, and it while it was not my favorite way to consume Carl and his team it was not horrible. The narrator was good, but I prefer to read these stories, I think I can read them faster than it too me to listen to it! Sadly, the wait list for the Kindle version was months long, so audio it was! I highly recommend this entire series!
That is all I have for this week! If you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below! Thank you for joining us!
Intentional Living in the Age of Social Distancing | 4.28.20
Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen Hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Appreciate your friends. Continue to learn. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is. — Mary Anne Radmacher
When I started this journey to be more intentional, I had no idea that Mary Anne Radmacher’s quote would stay with me in my journey. Yet, it is – and this month I found her words to Practice wellness and Appreciate your friends were just what I needed in Stay at Home Life.
And so, I have spent the month practicing wellness by staying home.
April 7, I began stitching my 100 Day Project. I had spent much of January and February plotting and planning out what I wanted this project to be. I started off eagerly; excited each day to sit with my stitching. One edge was completed, and some niggling worries began to creep in. What if it doesn’t work out like I planned? A couple of days the uneasiness – the uncertainty – kept me from stitching. I spent some time with that uncertainty and discovered that it was not the stitching, but my inner nay-saying voice creeping in. The answer for me was not to argue with that voice, but to tell myself that even if it does not “turn out” it will be okay…and believe it, and intentionally ignore that nay-saying voice.
About mid-month I noticed some significant changes in my life.
My meditation time became easier. I found I did not need to set a time to “stay” meditating. Rather, I welcomed the silence, the breathing, and especially the listening! Being comfortable with the stillness and just listening has been so helpful in these stressful days.
I joined Katie in her Reading Through the Gospels Lenten Journey and at the end of Lent, I just kept going. Kym sent me a wonderful little Intention Journal and I am filling it with notes as I read.
And that brings me to my next focus of the month… my friends. That number includes all of you, Gentle Readers! From your comments, your suggestions, your kindnesses – You make my days better and my life is so much richer because of you! Thank you!
My local Knit Group’s weekly Zoom Meetings have become a thing that I anticipate with great joy. We laugh, we bitch, we share. I did not imagine these women would become such a vital part of my week… but they have, and I am better because of them!
I guess all this means that I have somehow found the path again, and I am profoundly grateful that I have!
I am very happy that Honoré hosts us each month! Please, head over here to see a round up of word updates!
You can see my Intentional Journey here.
Macro Monday | 4.27.20
Last week, I get up close and personal with my 100-Day Project. My goal is that this stitching will become a piece of art on my living room wall. I have taken my time on this project and I even spent some time learning about listening to that inner creative voice. Kym shared a link for a link to sign up for The Makerie’s first Playful Pause. I thoroughly enjoyed the hour I spent, but I especially loved listening to Melanie Falick read from her book, Making A Life. The bit she shared made me wish that my library was open! I really want to go pick up a copy of the book and settle in with it.
I spent time mentally blocking out my next steps and there was a day or two that I was unsure… so I paused and spent time thinking about what I was uncertain about. Mostly, it was *my uncertainty* in myself. (more on that tomorrow!)
But today, this poem speaks to me…to my heart.
Thank you, Hazel Hall for your simple, timeless words.
Happy Monday everyone!
TGIF | 4.24.20
I feel like I need to get a blackboard and write the day, date, month, etc. on it to help me remember what day it is! Yesterday felt like Wednesday – although, I am not sure Wednesday’s “feel” like anything, my brain was convinced it was. Today does not have a Friday vibe, but I am hoping the cocktail hour later today will fix that problem!
Third Time is the Charm?
Remember when I was all “this week’s charts are so much easier?” I am eating my words today…for the third time. I am going to try to “fix” my problem, but I am not holding out much hope of getting that to work. Which will mean I will be ripping back this section for the third time. My first mistake? I did not pay close attention to the chart rows with and without dashes – so I missed a row that was knit on the wrong side. Knitting this in one color, that row of purl bumps was crucial to seeing the detail of the pattern. So, RIPPPPPPP! And yesterday when I was almost done with the chart, I discovered that I dropped a couple of decrease stitches. Which, as you can see, sticks out like a sore thumb. Of course, this is in one of the “stitch clusters” or in my case… a stitch clusterfuck. One (good??) thing though…this has helped me with is my ability to rip out and pick up stitches like a professional! Sigh.
Grandmotherly Knitting
Two babies, means double the baby knitting!! I would really like to knit a couple of blankets (think Yarn Harlot baby blanket inspiration) and have begun looking for patterns, but have not found anything on Ravelry that is saying “knit me!” Perhaps all I need is a lace dictionary, yarn, and needles! If you have baby blanket suggestions, I welcome them!
Inspiring Poetry
These days I am more grateful that ever for the balm that poetry brings. It settles my mind and soothes my soul. This morning’s Writer’s Almanac was exceptional, and I hope you find beauty in Longfellow’s words, too!
Fri-nally!
Those flowers from last week truly are the gift that has kept on giving. I only pulled the gerbera daisy from the bunch, and now the lilies are opening! That makes me so happy! I hope your weekend is full of things that bring happiness to you!
See you all back here next week!
Unraveled Wednesday | 4.22.20
I am plugging along on making. The knitting is going well (as expected) however, the crochet…
I do like the “end result” but boy. Who knew my very agile knitting hands could suddenly be all thumbs with crochet. Things I am struggling with: Holding the yarn in the “other” hand (I did not think this would be such a challenge since when I knit color work I use both hands), counting (this is not intuitive – and I have miscounted a number of times which means… RIPPPP! lol) where to “insert” the hook (some instructions say “the back of the loop” but others instructions leave it up to me… oy.) I am following the instructions for leaving a short tail, but how do you “weave in the ends” ??? That looks like it should be tons of fun… NOT! Hahaha! On a brighter note… I only have about 50 more “circles” to go!!
Mary asked on IG “when do we get to see the whole thing??!!!” Okay, I present the whole thing… or at least the start of the “whole thing” I have lots more days to go and lots more stitching to do! You are only seeing about a third of the linen to be stitched.
In the best possible making department…My oldest daughter announced on Monday that they are expecting!
So that means TWO new grandbabies this year! Heidi and Christian are expecting in early July and Rachel and Erik will welcome their little one in September!
It was a mixed bag of reading this week. One book I abandoned at about the halfway point, Emily St. John Mandel’s The Glass Hotel just was “not for me” at all. I enjoyed Station Eleven, but this was very disappointing. And, Staying At Home does not mean reading bad books.
Smilla’s Sense of Snow by Peter Høeg
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I loved so much about this book, but the ending. Smilla was divine – really a brilliantly written character. She is moody, brash, and questioning…everything. This is just really a book I want to tell everyone to read, but the ending… So, if you like the journey better than the destination, you will enjoy this book.
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book pulled me in from the first chapter and it was an incredibly exciting journey! This book made me think of so many “what if’s”!! I loved January Scaller! There is a tiny part of me that would love to discover that there are doors in my world leading to so many possibilities! I highly recommend this book!
Hot Milk by Deborah Levy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This book crossed my radar via an IG post from a librarian – it was one of many books available via Hoopla. So I tried! This book had potential and I really hoped about half way through that Sofia would grow up and become likable. Sadly, for me, she did not.
That is all I have for today! If you wrote a post to share, please leave your link below and thank you!
Macro Monday | 4.20.20
Over the weekend, I got out the big camera and took a few photos. Okay, I took dozens of photos but only a few “turned out.” And, yes, turned out – as in to (accidentally) happen in a particular way…the effort was there but having not used the big camera for a long time my skills are exceedingly rusty! And the wind on Sunday was not at all beneficial – but the early morning light was perfect. Are the pictures perfect? No, but I love the shadows on these lilac blooms. I love how they open individually – each on its own schedule. And the fragrance. It is heavenly. That wind that played havoc with my picture taking worked diligently to waft the lilac aroma around… and that was most appreciated.
I know some of you had snow last week. But there is a poem for that… and it is simply perfect! (really, go listen!) Today in my gratitude list I am including Maxine Kumin for her beautiful words. Yes, that was a lovely rabbit hole to traverse on a Sunday morning!
There was some mystery knitting (clue two from Larissa Brown is done and clue three from Romi is in progress.) And, I bought a thing! And started!! And struggled! I will share my progress later this week.
In an effort to conserve vermouth (yes, that is absolutely a thing in my house right now) It was a vodka and soda weekend. However, I am happy to report that Trader Joe’s Cranberry-Mandarin Orange sparkling water is the perfect thing for a vodka and soda! No sugar, and the perfect hint of flavor in the soda – not too much and not too little!
Finally, today is my son’s favorite day of the year. I confess, I laughed at some of the suggestions in this Rolling Stones article on how to participate safely from home!
That’s it from me today! I hope you all had a great weekend!
TGIF | 4.17.20
Breathe the incense of sun on prairie Offer peace to the sky — Heid E. Erdrich, Peace Path
It has been a week and then some. I think what I am missing most is the “normalcy” of the week – that is, normal work schedules, normal routines, and looking forward to Friday. I don’t know about you, but the days are a jumble to me with each one feeling like the last and the next. I feel a bit like I did when I was a child on summer break in the month of August. You know when the days felt endless and school would never start!
And, yet there have been pockets of “good things” in my days and so perhaps a bit of TGIF is in order!
Thankful
Yesterday was our “monthly” trip to the grocery store for much needed things (fresh produce, for one!!) We headed to Trader Joe’s and again there was a line, but for the most part a well-spaced, masked line! The limit to inside access has been even more reduced to assure that we can all be properly distanced from other shoppers. The store was immaculate and well-stocked. But it the best part was the simple kindness of the other shoppers and the Trader Joe’s staff – both were a balm to my weary spirit. The bouquet above was a gift from Trader Joe’s for helping to bag my groceries. I did not realize how much the simple interaction with strangers was something I was missing. I am basking in the glow of those simple things today, and so thankful!
Generosity
I have been amazed at the simple forms of giving that have been showing up around the internet! From free things in all sorts of places to helpful tips and tricks for all sorts of things – there are some in the universe working to balance out the unfairness of these days. I thought I’d share a few of the things I found this week with you all! First, Made by Rae just posted an excellent tutorial in which she shows clearly how to measure for pants that fit – even in the rise! I spent some time this week “cranking out” face masks and learned that not all faces are made the same. I found this pattern fits a variety of sizes and includes a “nose wire” option! Milk Street Kitchen has made all their online classes available through the end of April.
Inspiration
This week has had some lovely inspiration! This morning the patterns from Making No. 9 / Simple showed up on Ravelry! And curiously, crochet items have been calling to me (because of Sarah’s gorgeous blanket and Mary’s 100 Day project) But then Churchmouse Yarns sent this and I have a case of the “I want this bad” (also I love that they are also echoing the joy of Sarah’s blanket with One Big Granny Square! (Perhaps the pillow is a good place to start? Lol) I cannot crochet, but I would really love to learn. I tried a few years ago, but it was truly a struggle and I gave up but maybe this is the thing I need to keep my brain focused right now!
Finally, poetry
Poetry has become a daily necessity for me. And this morning’s poem – Peace Path from The Slowdown moved me greatly and I immediately checked out a book of her poetry from my library. (and yes, Heid E. Erdrich is Louise Erdrich’s sister!)
That is all I have for this week… I hope your weekend is full of weekend things! See you all back here on Monday! I am pulling out my “big camera” and hope to get a photo I can share. Carole and Vicki… how about some Macro Monday!?
Goodreads
Kat’s bookshelf: read
Seven chapters of sheer bliss. Beautiful writing and an incredible tale. Who would you toast on the last day of your life?
LOVED! Every single word. The thread that tied this story together is wonderful! I could not stop listening – it was that good!
A beautiful memoir. The writing is wonderful – the story shared is so poignant. I highly recommend.
